Pakistan cricket team head coach Waqar Younis has revealed that determination, dedication and discipline had been the keys to the team’s first series win over Australia in 20 years.
Hosting the mighty Aussies at United Arab Emirates, Pakistan outplayed Michael Clarke’s side in the two-match Test series. In the first Test at Dubai, they defeated Australia by 221 runs.
With veteran Younis Khan playing his best cricket during the series, they improved the showing in the second Test. At Abu Dhabi, Misbah-ul-Haq led the side to a huge 356-run win.
Talking to a leading Pakistani newspaper, Waqar said that these three tenets have led to the ‘goody goody stuff.’ The 42-year-old also credited his team for putting up the brilliant show.
The former fast bowler took the opportunity to praise captain Misbah for his leadership and positivity. Waqar hailed Misbah’s positive frame of mind that helped the team and inspired the players to give their best.
The series win helped Pakistan gained Test ranking positions and they are now third behind South Africa and Australia. Besides, individual players also achieved personal milestones, notable among were Younis Khan’s hundreds in each innings of the first Test and 213-run innings in the first innings of the second Test.
Skipper Misbah also set a new world record for the fastest half-century off just 21 balls and equalled West Indian great Vivian Richards’ fastest hundred off 56 balls during his 101 not out in the second Test.
Waqar also credited his support staff. He said that he would also credit his support staff, from Mushtaq Ahmed to Grant Luden to Grant Flower as everyone kept a positive frame of mind, even when they were left frustrated with the results in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan next play New Zealand in a three-match series with the first Test starting in Abu Dhabi from Sunday. The Tests would be followed by two Twenty20s and five ODIs, the report added.
